I have a couple of huge plants. One of them bloomed two years ago, but not since. Is there a light requirement like with Christmas cactus? I know that they need the same hours of light as outside in the fall, if the cereus is that way, when does it need the light to dark ratio? hey are outside all summer, but may get ambient light from the yard lights.
Question about night blooming cereus
Is your plant the Epiphyllum Oxypetalum? Here is the link to information in the Plant Files: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2443/
It would be good to see a picture of your plant. There are at least a half dozen plants known as the Night Blooming Cereus. Or, you could check if it is like E. oxypetalum, and if it is, then we know what you are talking about.
When you say giant, do you mean giant, as bigger than you? Or do you mean giant as bigger than any plant your friends have in their houses?
If it is really giant, as in bigger than you and getting bigger, you may be talking about Hylocereus undatus is a tropical vining cactus with a triangular stem, and when it gets growing I understand it can be quite the chore.
Then there is Peniocereus greggii which is a shrubby cactus of the desert.
This message was edited Aug 18, 2008 8:00 PM
I don't think it is a problem with light . From the little that I know it is a combination of right kind of plant foot, watering, and cooling in winter.
The triggering of Christmas cacti is an artifical thing to get them to flower at the same time easily. The plants don't need that treatment to bloom, they will do just fine with being treated like other plants, and put out in the summer. Most of these plants will do well if temperatures drop down into the 60's during the winter in our houses or outside.
It's the one with the wide flat leaves and white flowers that hang down on a J shaped stem. The one is in a hanging basket and is at least 3 feet across and the same high.
Is it the one I gave the link to in my above post?
Here are the photo's for comparison of E. Oxypetalum in Plant Files: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/208646/
and more images: http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=images+of+dutchman's+pipe+cactus&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title
Do any of these look like your plant?
Here is a photo of one of my plants, but I guess I was worrying about nothing, I looked and there are BUDS! What a wonderful present to get! I'm going to call my best friends over when it opens. Thanks for all the help and yes, I would love to know what this actually is.
Looks like Epiphyllum Oxypetalum to me. Just remember that it's a Night blooming plant. You have to stay awake or you will miss the gorgeous flowers cause they are wilted and closed up by morning! Hope you get some photo's when it does bloom.
jylgaskin, and it looks so healthy not neglected at all! Congrats, Clem